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Caramelised Leek Tart with Walnut Pastry, Spinach and crumbled Perl Las

Developed by The Tidy Kitchen Co [1] in collaboration with Welsh food blogger HungryCityHippy [1].

Approx prep time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 30 – 35 minutes 

Ingredients:

Tart case:
200g plain flour
45g walnuts, finely chopped (a food processor would be best)
25g grated parmesan
½ tsp salt
50g cold unsalted butter
1 medium free-range egg, beaten
1 tsp fresh oregano

Method:

Add flour, walnuts and parmesan to a large bowl

Sprinkle in the fresh oregano and ½ tsp salt. Mix well.

Make a well in the middle of the mixture; add the beaten egg and quickly stir to combine. 

Add 1 tbsp water, and mix to form a soft, pliable dough

Bring together and knead lightly on a clean work-surface

Roll into a ball and press into a flat 1-inch thick disk. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30mins.

Filling: 

1 tsp butter
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
5 free range eggs
100ml double cream
200ml milk 
Freshly cracked black pepper
100g Perl Las cheese
½ tsp salt

Method:

Whilst pastry is chilling, get started on the filling. Heat a frying pan on medium heat, then add the butter and oil.

Add finely chopped leeks and sweat on low heat for 20 mins.

Once soft and slightly caramelised, add crushed garlic and continue cooking for two mins, then set to one side to cool.

In a large bowl, beat 5 eggs and add milk, cream, salt and pepper, and mix. 

Remove pastry disk from fridge and sprinkle a small amount of flour on a clean work surface.

Roll out pastry into a large circle, big enough to cover tart case and to come up the sides.

Place gently into case and press down to ensure it reaches the bottom, then line with backing parchments and weigh down with baking beans.

Chill for 15 minutes. 

Assembly:

When chilled, remove the tart case from fridge and put into preheated oven for 15 minutes.

After 15 mins, remove the baking beans and place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes until the bottom is baked – this prevents a soggy bottom.

Remove pastry from the oven and pour the egg mixture into the warm tart case, then sprinkle in the sweated leeks.

Crumble in in 100g of Perl Las cheese in small chunks – you can use more or less to taste. 

Return to the oven at 160°C and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, there should be no wobble when ready.

Serving suggestion: serve warm or cold with a fresh green salad and Pembrokeshire Early new potatoes.